Writing a research proposal

Writing a research proposal, whether it is for a thesis or dissertation, a course assessment or a funded project, is an essential step in any research project.  Writing a research proposal can be particularly challenging because proposals tend not to be public documents, so you may not have seen an example.  Also, proposals are written for a variety of purposes and audiences, so there is more than one acceptable format. 

This guide provides an introduction to writing a proposal, to help you make some decisions about the type of proposal you need to produce. 

Why write a research proposal at all? 

A research proposal is an essential step in any research project.  It helps you as a researcher to: 

• Clarify your ideas by reflecting on and refining your proposed research project 
• Plan by creating a guide and a way of monitoring progress during the research 
• Write early to develop good writing habits (and to start writing some parts of your final report) 
• Communicate your proposed research so others can give you feedback. 

What is the reader looking for in your proposal? 

 Your research proposal helps your supervisor and faculty (and sometimes a funding body) to: 

• Assess the worth of the proposed research 
• Assess your capacity to complete the research 
• Assess the institution’s capacity to support the research. 

The proposal must convince the reader that the research is worthwhile and that the research is feasible.  

Ensure your proposal provides answers to questions such as these: 

• Is this problem or issue worth studying? 
• Are the questions/objectives/hypotheses clear? 
• Will the study contribute significantly to our knowledge of the issue? 
• Will the expected research outcome meet the requirements of the degree? 
• Is the researcher aware of the key schools of thought relevant to the study? 
• Has the researcher critically engaged with the literature and used the literature to justify the research?
• Is the methodology appropriate? 
• Does the researcher have the necessary skills to complete to project successfully (or is further training required?) 
• Are the required budget and resources, including supervision, available? 
• Have potential risks been identified and managed? 
• Is the timeline feasible? 

Developing the structure of your research proposal.

The proposal should include three key elements: 

• What you intend to do 
• Why you intend to do it 
• How you intend to do it. 

The exact format for the proposal varies amongst faculties; your faculty will have specific guidelines and/or a template, and may have example proposals.   

Regardless of the format, most research proposals follow a similar pattern.